Fare Fight?

With all of the taxi franchises in Los Angeles set to expire at the end of the year, a group of taxi drivers with support from labor unions has gotten into a battle with cab companies over the future of taxi operations in the city.

The nine taxi franchise holders are pushing for five-year renewals, which they say will give cab owners the financial security to upgrade their vehicles to green cars such as hybrids.

But a group of taxi drivers wants a renewal of only one year to 18 months. During that time, the drivers want a city study of working conditions, which they claim involve long hours for low pay. They also want the city to pass a “bill of rights” that would allow drivers to affiliate with any of the taxi franchise operations in the city.